Improvement in apparatus for generating carbonic acid



W. H. BATE. APPARATUS FOR GENERATING OARBONIG ACID. No. 110,190.

Patented Dec. 20, 1870:

ante States patent hffioz.

WALLACE H. BATE, OF EAST S OMERVILLE, 'MASSACHUSET'IS.

Letters Patent to; 110,190, dated December' 20, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR GENERATING CARBONIC ACID.

The ScKedule referred to'in these Letters Patent and part of the same.

charging soda-fountains and for other purposes, of'

which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the center of the same.

In the apparatus ordinarilyemployed for generat ing carbonic-acid gas for charging soda-fjountains the alkalichamber and acid-chamber have been connected by a lead pipe extending outside from one to the other, to -conduct the gas down upon the surface of the acid to equalize the pressure and insu'reits passage to the alkali-chamber, the acid being allowed to pass down to the alkali-chamber through a passage controlled by a valve operated bya solid spindle or rod extending through and above the acid-chamber. As the acid-chamber is screwed onto the alkali-chamber, and requires "to be frequently removed and replaced, it is not always possible to bring the ends of the connecting-pipe intothe same position or vertical plane originally given them, for the reason-that the acid-chamber requires to be turned further around to make a tight joint as the washer becomes worn, and the pipe must consequently be bent and strained to make the desired'connection, which soon renders it unfit for use; and, furthermore, the position of the pipe outside of the apparatus exposes it toinjury from being accidentally'struck. Again, the curved form of the said pipe is objectionable on account 'of the tendency to becomeclogged and the difiiculty of clearing it when obstructed. v

Toremove these obj (actions and to dispense with the exterior connecting-pipe is the purpose-of the first portion of my invention which consists in making hollow the valve-plug and spindle which passes up through and-is operated outside theacid chamber, an aperture being made in the side of the hollow spindle at a point above the level of the acid, by which arrangement the gas may be conducted to the acid-chamber as required.

' The second portion of my invention has for its object to dispense with a separate pipe" for connecting the pressure-gauge with the alkali-chamber; the lead pipe heretofore ordinarily employed forthis purpose being liable, from its position outside the apparatus, to be bent or injured, and the passage through it ohstructed so as to prevent the gauge from correctly indicating the pressure which thus increases the liability of accident from explosion; and this part of my invention consists in combining the pressure-gauge with the hollow valve-plug and spindle, upon thestop of which the gauge is placed, which construction is compact and free from the objections incident to-the ernployment of a separate pipe placed outside.

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my in vention, I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.

In the said drawing- A-is'the acid receptacle, which screws upon the top of the alkali-chamber B, a passage'betweenthe twov being provided to allow of the acid flowing down into and mixing with the alkali contained in the alkalichamber, for the purpose of producing carbonic-acid gas.

The passage a, between theaeid-chamber and the alkali-chamber, iscontrolledby a valve-plug, b, at the lower end of a spindle, 0, extending vertically up, through thefcenter of the acid-chamber and beyond the top' thereof. 7

Theupper portion of the spindle passes through a stutfing-box, and is provided with a screwrthread, c, which fits onto a corresponding thread in the top of the apparatus, and thus, as the spindle is turned by means of a wheel, I), the valve-plug b is raised or lowered to open or close the passage a.

The valve-plug is made hollow, and also the spindle, through its entire length, to allow the gas from the alkali-chamber to pass up the spindle, from which it escapes by an aperture, (1, into the acid-chamber above the level of the acid contained therein, in order that a means maybe provided for equalizing the pressure upon the acid to insure its passage into the alkaliprotected from injury and free from the objections above enumerated incident tolthe connecting-pipe placed outside the apparatus.

In the opening5, at the top of the hollow spindle, fits the lower end of 'a conical valve-plug, e, which is hollow, as also is-.its stem, E, which passes up through and above a cylindrical casing, G, the lower end of which is provided with openings h, and is screwed upon the top of the hollow spindle O, the stem of the valve-plug 0 being surrounded by a spiral spring '5, the lower end of which bears upon the upper end of the valve-plug 0, while its upper end bears against the underside of the cap of the cylindrical casing G, by which construction a safety-valve is formed, whereby, when the pressure of the gas is greater than that intended, it will raise the valve plng c, and escape througlnthe openings it until the pressure is reduced, after which the valve-plug 6 will drop upon its seat and close theopening 5, and the gas will pass up the hollow stem E to a pressure-gauge, I, connected with its'to'p for. indicating the pressure exerted by the gas T within the generator. I

By this construction, which isexceedingly compact,

the pipe which communioates vith thegauge ocoupies a position within the apparatus where it is not liabletobe bent or injured. diurthermore, the pas; sage through this pipe being straight, it will not be liable to become clogged or obstructed so as to prevent the pressure from being correctly indicated by the gauge, and'consequeutly the'liability of accident from explosion is materially lessened. Should, however, any obstruction occur, the. pipe may be readily cleared.

Claims.

What I claim as my'invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

low valve-plug, b, and spindle O, acid-chamber A, and

alkali-chamber 13, substantially as and for the purpose described. v

Witness my hand this 14th day of October, A. D. 1870.

WALLACE H. BATE.

Witnesses I N. W. STEARNs, W. J. OAMBnmeE. 

